


switched

by acrylic_gold



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bayard Switch AU, Gen, M/M, keith being a badass, klance, lance being a badass, pining boys??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 17:05:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11189529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrylic_gold/pseuds/acrylic_gold
Summary: The paladins were all pretty new to the whole 'defending the universe' thing, but one thing they did pick up pretty quickly was the fact that without your bayard, you were pretty much useless on the battlefield – and a sitting duck. So all the paladins made their best effort to not lose their paladins when confronted by the enemy. But what happens when  the only bayard you have in your hand is your rival paladin's?





	switched

**Author's Note:**

> oookay so it's been about one thousand years since i updated something, but i totally had the urge to write this AU out (by Klancept on tumblr) even if it took ages (it took a few hours i think over 3 days i think?? tbh i usually just get a spark to write and just go with it until i feel i can stop/run out of ideas) also that freaking title i might go back to change it later
> 
> uhm so this idea was actually really pretty cool?? i really liked the concept of it so i hoped that i did it some justice here, but if u want to check out the original idea in more detail - here's klancept's post : http://klancept.tumblr.com/post/161634775597/klance-switching-bayards (or check their tag klanceptheadcannon)
> 
>  
> 
> anyways babes i hope you enjoy this fic and if you'd like to see a continuation of this story from me, please comment! (i would like to add more but i need to actually 1) think of a plot first 2) know if anyone would like to read it )
> 
> anywaaays, without any further hesitation..
> 
> as always comments/kudos/etc. is always appreciated
> 
> enjoy x
> 
> \- - - - - - - - - - -

Lance let out an aggravated grunt as bayard was knocked out of his hands by a sentry’s opposing rifle.

 

“You okay there, Lance?” Lance heard Keith’s voice over the comms. Before he could reply, he heard the distinct clatter of the red paladin’s sword hit the ground through his helmet. Lance’s eyes were trained on the group of sentries that were now fast approaching him before swiftly moving his gaze to his bayard which was only a few metres away. Acting quickly, he sprinted over towards the rifle. A dozen shots from a sentry’s gunfire forced him to leap back. _Crap_. After narrowly escaping getting shot much to often for Lance’s comfort, he saw an opening in the group that was encroaching on him and bolted for his temporary exit. It took a slight moment but the sentries soon caught on to where Lance was headed and soon followed after, but the minute delay was all Lance needed to get away for a moment to think of a better strategy – which would have happened with complete success had he not collided into Keith before completing his run around a corner.

 

The two teens let out yells of confusion before scrambling back up onto their feet. Lance flicked his eyes down to the absence of the bayard in his hands then looked up to the sentries that almost reached him and Keith and gulped.

 

“Er, any chance you have your bayard or something?”

 

“Lucky for you, I’ve dealt with the sentries on my end…mostly.” Keith replied as he kicked a fallen sentry’s head – just for good measure. Keith swiftly jumped in front of Lance in a lowered stance, ready to attack. Keith raised his sword, but before he knew it his bayard was shot out of his hand - narrowly missing getting his hand singed by a sentry’s weapon. The red paladin cursed under his breath and was ready to go after his dropped weapon before he was struck by a soldier’s staff which knocked him back.

 

“Keith!” Lance’s eyes widened in fear as his comrade’s back hit the cavern wall and he dropped to the ground. Before he knew it, a swarm of guards and soldiers were going in his direction. Lance only had seconds to react, and he ran for Keith’s bayard which he managed to grab with only a singe to the tip of his hair.

 

“Keith! Over he– what the cheese?!” Lance was ready to throw the red paladin’s bayard over until the said object in his hand glowed and in the rounded handheld shape’s place was one of the coolest rifles Lance had ever seen. Without hesitation and his trademark smirk, he held his - _Keith’s -_ bayard into position and fired at the sentries and guards surrounding his friend.

 

Keith could only stare in wonder as he watched sentries and guards get taken down one by one with powerful shots - where those coming from Lance? Keith looked up and his eyes widened when his gaze fell upon the rifle that the blue paladin was holding. Keith didn’t have much time to ponder on the new situation facing him and ran back to where Lance lost his bayard. After rounding the corner, Keith stumbled across the other’s bayard and quickly picked it up off the ground. He looked up again to see a new wave of guards and sentries coming his way. He prayed that somehow Lance’s comms weren’t damaged in the fray of gunfire.

 

“Uh, Lance?”

 

“I’m a little busy right now!”

 

“But I have your bayard Lance - how could–” Keith didn’t have time to finish his question as the blue bayard in his hands took form before his eyes. His jaw dropped in wonder as it formed into a sword - much more intricate and sophisticated-looking than the one he usually fought with. “But, how?”

 

“Yeah. I know - urgh! I don’t know what happened. One second I held it and then it just formed into this.” Keith looked once again at the new sword before him and the elegant patterns that adorned it. His features fell into a challenging smirk.

 

“Okay. Let’s see what this thing can do.” Keith pounced and struck at the enemies coming towards him. Each swipe of this new sword sharp, powerful, different. _A good kind of different_ , Keith decided as he plowed on through the swarm of galra surrounding him.

 

It took a few moments, but the red and blue paladin had both managed to take down all the sentries and soldiers surrounding them. The two ran back to each other, both with a look of bewilderment on their faces.

 

“Did you…?”

 

“How did that…?”

 

“Happen? I don’t know,” Keith held out the sword in front of him, now having the time to really look at it, “wow, it’s amazing.” He stopped for a moment taking in the finer details on the weapon. Before he heard other voices crackle in the comms, and eventually resounding clear.

 

“Hey, guys? Keith, Lance! Do you copy?”

 

“Roger that, Pidgeon.”

 

“We got your signal now. If you turn left after you…” Keith seemed to be in a slight daze as Pidge gave out instructions for the two boys to get out of the cavern, his focus on the newly transformed bayard. If Lance felt the same way, he didn’t show it. He acknowledged the green paladin’s instructions and lead the two of them out of the cavern. Before Keith walked out the cavern entrance, he felt a hand on his wrist pull him back.

 

“Wait, Keith. I think we should, uh…” Lance hesitated as he shifted his gaze down to the two bayards.

 

“Oh, yeah. Sure.” The two exchanged the weapons and wordlessly made their way back to the lions, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

 

*

 

It was only after everyone had gone to bed that Lance had decided that now was a good time to talk to Keith about the bayards. Wrapped up in his dressing gown and blue lion themed slippers to keep himself warm, Lance quietly made his way down the long corridor that would lead to an empty room in the castle, save for the holographic projector inside. He figured that small meetings would have taken place in there if the main observation deck couldn’t be used. He and Keith would occasionally find each other in this specific room – and although they wouldn’t mention it, they would spend the odd time having conversations with each other in the room too. Long or short, they always felt a little better after talking to one another.

 

Lances stepped through the door and saw Keith, staring down at his own bayard. Lance felt his nerves rise up and so he clutched onto his own more tightly. He stepped closer to Keith and with more hesitation than normal he sat next to the other boy next to him.

 

“So,” Lance started, causing Keith’s eyes to look up at his royal blue ones, “our bayards. And the freaky thing that happened to them.” Keith shifted himself so he was sitting more upright like Lance and thought for a moment.

 

“Allura and Coran never mentioned anything about being able to use different bayards.”

 

“Maybe they didn’t think we’d ever have to use someone else’s.”

 

“Do you,” Keith paused for a moment, “think we should tell Shiro?” Lance almost looked offended at the question.

 

“What? No way. We _can’t_ tell Shiro, not until we figure this all out.”

 

“Why not?” Keith looked at Lance, seemingly unimpressed with his answer.

 

“I- I don’t know okay? Just – we just need to figure this out, okay?” Keith rolled his eyes at Lance’s answer but didn’t look as if he was about to argue.

 

“Alright, then. We won’t tell Shiro until we have this whole ‘bayard thing figured out’,” Keith looked away from Lance and out to the vast expanse of stars in front of him, thinking for a moment how the only thing between him and the rest of the universe was made of glass.

 

“Do you think we could do it again…with the bayards?” Keith looked at Lance’s bayard expectantly.

 

“I don’t see why not.”

 

Without a word, the two paladins exchanged bayards, and were slightly disappointed when nothing happened for the first few minutes.

 

“Do we need to say something or– woah!” Lance let out a surprised yelp when both bayards started to glow and form before them. The two looked at their weapons in awe and wonder. Lance’s eyes widened as his eyes followed the pattern of the swirling and crashing waves of the ocean which faded into twisting vines and engraved flowers with the most delicate looking petals. The rifle was dotted in engraved seashells and featured a glorious looking sun. Down the barrel of the rifle was the most gorgeous blue he had ever seen. It reminded him of the deep and open waves of the ocean he once knew. It reminded him of _home_ , and everything he loved so much about it.

 

Keith was fascinated by the elegance of the sword he held. It looked sharp – sharper than any other sword that he had seen. All along the blade there was engravings of beautiful flowers in full bloom, and small gems dusted along which resembled the night sky and the universe that surrounded him. Stardust that seemed to go on forever and ever. It reminded him of having a _purpose_ , something he was proud to defend.

 

“It’s, it’s…”

 

“Stunning.” Lance glanced over at Keith, almost surprised at his answer. He looked over at Keith with a small smile.

 

“Yeah, it is.” Both boys wordlessly looked out at the stars before them.

 

“Do you think the others can do this with their bayards?”

 

“Who knows? Maybe we’re the only ones who can.”

 

“Pfft, I doubt that.”

“What makes you doubt _my_ unquestionable knowledge?”

 

“Do you want an alphabetised list?”

“ _Rude_!” Both Lance and Keith let out a small laugh and looked down at their bayards again.

 

“We should probably give them back, huh,” Lance mumbled.

 

“Yeah. But we can do this again, right?” Keith looked at Lance expectantly with a small smile. Lance looked back with a grin.

 

“I don’t see why not.”

 

The two paladins once again exchanged their bayards and watched them glow as they returned to their normal shape. They both walked out of the room and silently made their way back to their bedrooms, which happened to be right next to each other. They both stopped once they reached their own door and looked at each other.

 

“Well, goodnight Mullet.” Keith rolled his eyes.

 

“Goodnight to you too, Mcclain.”

 

The two walked into their own rooms and let the doors softly _woosh_ behind them, confident that they didin’t disturb any of the other sleeping paladins. Switching bayards? It was new – but nothing they couldn’t handle. It would take a while to get used to and learn about since they decided to keep it on the down-low from everybody. It would take some time and hard work, they knew it, but they could pull through. They were a good team. And without really admitting it, both couldn’t help but think how they felt a little bit lighter and happier knowing that they _could_ do this because when they put their differences aside, they were unstoppable. 


End file.
